Motor-tricycle.



W. L; BENTON. MOTOR TRIGYGLE',

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w. L. BENTON. mom: TRIGYOLE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 12, 1913.

Patented July 14, 19%

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K w. R HHHI llllll'lllllllll llllllllllll INVENTOR WITNESSE A TTORNEY S.

'HWNSJVORRIS PETERS CO PHOTOLITHO. WASHINGTON D C.

WALTER L. BENTON, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

MOTOR-TRICYCLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 14, 1914.

Application filed J uly 12, 1913. Serial No. 778,631.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER L. BENTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Houston, in the county of Harris and- State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Motor-Tricycles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in carriers.

The object of theinvention is to provide a vehicle of the character described having three wheels, a front or steering wheel and two rear or carrying wheels, and comprehends also an improved form of frame work, having a certain amount of flexibility which will permit the rear wheels to pass over obstructions and rough and uneven surfaces without transmitting the shock to the front portion of the frame and to the rider mounted on the seat carried by the front portion;

With the above and other objects in view, the invention hasparticular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation and arrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of the complete vehicle, equipped with a bundle carrying receptacle. F ig; 2 is a side elevation thereof showing the frame work in detail, the rear wheels and driving mechanism not being shown. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the vehicle, equipped with a passenger seat. Fig. 4 shows a detail view of the resilient connection bet-ween the rear and front portions of the frame; Fig. 5 shows ajdetail view of the joint whereby said connection is connected to the front part of the'frame.

Figs. 6 and 7 show a plan view and a sectional side elevation, respectively, of the housing surrounding the sprocket wheel which is carried by the counter shaft from which the rear wheels are driven. Figs. 8 and 9 show, respectively, horizontal and vertical sectional views of the housing protecting the drive chain by means of which said counter shaft is driven. Figs. 10 and 11 show plan and side views, respectively, of a form of joint employed in the construction of the frame work.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals of reference designate similar parts in each of the figures, the numeral 1 refers to the front or steering wheel and the numerals 2, 2 designate the rear or carrying wheels. The steering wheel is mounted in the usual manner on the steering post 3 to the upper end of which are fixed the handle bars 4, 4. The front portion of the frame work is constructed in the well known manner of the ordinary motorcycle and is pivotally secured to the steering post 3 in the well known manner. This frame work consists of two inverted arches formed of hollow tubing 5, 5 arranged side by side and the lengthwise tubing 6 connecting the ends of said arches. To the rear end of the tubing 6 a seat 7 issecured and the arches formed .of the tubing 5, 5 carry the motor 8 and the other necessary appurtenances of the ordinary motorcycle. A'casting 9 is provided through which the tubing 5, 5 passes. This casting is arranged near the bottom of the arches, in the rear, and to it is pivoted a block 10. Two sections of the tubingll, 11 are provided, whose forward ends are journaled in the block 10 and which diverge rearwardly and to the rear ends of these tubings 11 are secured, respectively, tubing sections 12, 12 which are united to said sections 11 by means of thejoint 13, shown in Figs. 10 and 11, said sections 12 extending back parallel to each other and forming, with the sections 11, 11 the rear frame work of the vehicle. The rear ends of the tubing sections 12, 12 have suitable bearing members, as 14, in which the rear axle 15 is rotatably mounted. The wheels 2 are fixed upon the respective ends of this axle and the axle is protected by the housing 16 and has two rigidly mounted sprocket wheels 17, 17, one near each end thereof.

Depending from each joint 13 is a bearing member 18 in which a counter shaft 19 is rotatably mounted. The ends of the countershaft have fixed thereon suitable sprocket wheels are driven through the former by sprocket chains 21, 21. These sprocket chains are protected by suitable guards 22, 22.- The rear ends of the tubing 5, form ing the arches terminate in a casting 23 upon which the rear end of tubing 6 rests and to which is hinged, at its upper end, the rod. 24:. An arch 25 is provided whose lower:

ends have the bearings 26, 26 through which the shaft 19 extends and the apex of this arch has the bearing 27 through which the rod 24: extends. The up er end of the rod 24 is enlarged and "interposedbetwee'n said'enl ar'ged end andtlre bearing 27, is a strong coil spring 28 forming a flexible union between the rear and'front portions of the frame work of the vehicle. The counter shaft 19 has a rigidly mounted sprocket; wheel 29' ali ned with 'a corresponding; sprocket wheel 30 rigidly mounted onthe'; shaft 31 and said first mentioned sprocket; wheel is driven through the sprocket chain; 32 from said sprocket wheel 30. The shaft; 31 is operatively connected with the engine in the usual manner also has the usual! foot pedals 33, '33. The counter shaft19-isi protected by housin 34 which is enlarged; into a housing 35wl1ich surrounds and pro-i tects the sprocket wheel 29 and the sprocket; chain 32and the sprocket wheel 30 are protected by'means of the housing 36. This; vehicle may be used either as a delivery car fortransporting light articles or it may beg used as a passenger vehicle to carry extrai passengers. These two forms are illustrated, respectively, in Figs. 1 and 2.

The numeral 37 designates a receptacle for carrying such articles as it may be desired. to transport and thenumeral 38 designates the seat for passengers. The receptacleand seat are mounted substantially in 'a similar manner upon a rear spring 39 and frontspring 40, the former of which is supported by the bearings 14 and the latter of which is mounted upon the housing'3t.

It is obvious from the construction hereinbefore described that thetwoparts forming the framework of the vehicle will be flexibly united together so that shocks and ars caused by the rear wheels passing over obstructions and uneven surfaces will be, toa large extent, absorbed by the cushioning device interposed between the parts of the framework and the rider mounted on said seat 7 will not be subjected tothe full force of the shocksre'ceived by the rear wheels incident to passing over rough and'uneven surfaces.

- While I have shown only one form of this device, it is obvious that the mechanical construction thereof may be varied without departing from the principle of the invention and I hereby reserve the right to make such mechanical changes therein as will not depart from the scope of the appended claims. v, M I

7 What I claim is p 1. A device of the character described, including a front or steering wheel and two rear, or carrying wheels, a two part framework supported by said wheels, said parts beinghinged together, an arch pivoted to the rear part, a bearing carried by and integral'withth'e arch,- a rod hinged to the front part, said rod being slidable in said bearing and a resilient member surrounding said rod and resisting} against the bearing and forming a cushion betweensaid parts of said framework.

2. A device of the character described including 'a front steering wheel and two rear carrying wheels, a two part frame work supported by said wheels, the front part of the frame work consisting oftwo inverted wise 'member connecting the ends of said arches, a casting carried by the arches and arranged at the rear side and near the bottom thereof, a member hinged to said casting,'two sections of tubing whose forward arches arranged side by side and a length carried by and integral with the arch,a rod 7 hinged to the front part of said frame work and slidable in saidbearing and a resilient member surrounding said rod and resting between the parts of said framework.

cluding a front steering wheel and two rear carrying wheels, a two part frame work sup ported by-said wheels, the front part ofthe frame work consisting of a double inverted 3. A device of the character described in against the bearing and forming a cushion arch and a lengthwise member connecting and resting against said bearing and 'forming a cushion between the parts of said framework.

4:. A deviceof the character'described in- I cludin'g a front steering wheel and two rear "carrying wheels, a two part framework supported by said wheels, the'front part of theframework consisting of 'a double inverted arch and a lengthwise member connecting the ends of sa1d arch, a casting secured to the rear side of said arch near the bottom thereing a cushion between the parts of said 10 of, a member hinged to said casting to which framework.

the rear part of the framework is secured, In testimony whereof I have signed my an arch pivoted on each side of the rear part name to this specification in the presence of of the said framework, a bearing carried by two subscribing witnesses.

and integral with said last mentioned arch, WALTER L. BENTON. a bearing member carried by the front part Witnesses: of said framework and a resilient member MAY MONTGOMERY,

interposed between said bearing and form- J. H. POWELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0." 

